Rivalries in sport are generally proximity based, with Cow High in school competition and the Cowichan Piggies with the club league our arch nemeses. The out-of-town players don’t always get it but the local kids definitely appreciate the significance of each game. Unfortunately, this weekend was more character building than gaining league points, however we are heading into a well-deserved break and will most likely get playoff rematches.

The u14s had a strong game and out scored the opponent 38 / 55 but we were short a few players and technically defaulted the game. Tough luck but we are still the top seed.

For game footage please view HERE.

Our u16s were again up against a bigger set of forwards and despite some formidable tackling, Cowichan started racking up tries. Kudos to the team leaders that rallied the lads for the last quarter that gave us a respectable 23 to 34 final score.

For game footage please view HERE.

The senior boys came out of the gate firing, scoring first and keeping pace throughout the game. Lot’s to cheer about with big hits and ball movement by both teams but the boys appeared to have the game in hand until the final frame. Twice the Piggies scored to come close and the Warriors would answer back however with minutes to go they capitalized on a breakdown, swung it wide for a line break taking the 27 / 25 win. That one stung and there was definitely some animosity building between the two teams that should make for a good tilt next time up. Most likely November 23rd.

For game footage please view HERE.

As noted earlier, the u18s travelled to Comox on Thursday afternoon to face the Rapids in a rescheduled game from two weeks ago. All I have is a 37 to 0 victory for Salish but we will take it.

Please note our triple header this weekend against Cowichan are away games at Herd Road, not at Shawnigan!

The rain worked in our favour and we received an extra home stand because of a soggy MacDonald Park. Unfortunately the best weather of the day happened as I was striking the hot dog stand around 3:30. Regardless it was a great showing by the boys and we came away with two of three games.

The u14s continue to show dominance against their opponents with a decisive 67 to 7 win. Even in the slick weather conditions the players moved the ball well and had some big line breaks. Undefeated and number one seed, congratulations boys!

The u16s had a much bigger task, going up against the leader in their division that definitely had more weight and experience on their side. The JBAA pack was big and formidable, pounding away with the ball in hand and tackling hard. Kudos to the team for keeping it close until we went down a player before the half and they Bays took advantage. We came out strong in the second half and managed an early try but any hope of a comeback slipped away with them answering twice. Final score was JBAA 31 Salish 7. To watch the game video please view HERE.

For the final game of the day our u18s got two starters back, Brendan Grisdale and Cohen Huisamen, which was big difference maker in our team’s flow with the ball. Both have a lot of experience that helped keep the team working together to a sure and steady effort, with 24 unanswered points and the win. To watch the game video please view HERE.

This Thursday they will travel up to Cumberland (I hope the field has lights) for the postponed game from last weekend.

Sunday we are home again for the crosstown rivals, the Cowichan Piggys. See you there!

As promised the u16 game has been uploaded to YouTube for your viewing pleasure! Please select HERE to watch the game. Unfortunately the u14 game footage needed too much editing for me to tackle this time around but I will make up for that.

Also, there is a scheduling update for this weekend. Due to concern for the field status at MacDonald Park the games will be switched to Shawnigan and we will be hosting all three JBAA teams. Kick off times are 11:00am for u14, 12:15 for u16 and 1:30 the u18. Come and say hello, I’ll be cooking hotdogs for the kids! Go Warriors!!

To Cumberland for a triple header against the Rapids. Unfortunately the u18s became unavailable to travel and had to postpone, however the young lads made the trip worth while. Both teams posting decisive wins.

The u14s were dominant with a 50 to 12 final though 50 is the maximum posted score for age grade competition. Harry, Mason, Jauco and Waylon all had their usual big impacts on both side of the ball. First tries of the year were put down by Noah, Oscar and Levi (2)! Congratulations Boys!

The u16s had a tough physical game against a bigger team and a referee that appeared to call a very one sided game. Regardless, Soup (Max Fawcett), Mason and Seamus had high work rates in the forwards. Gibson and Sam’s workloads were impressive as well, along with Rheo’s open field tackling and line breaks. Lhuma had a strong game, tackling, kicking and running the attack. Final score was 50 to 31 for the good guys.

To host our archrivals Castaway Wanderers on a gorgeous Shawnigan afternoon that produced good results for our u14 team, running away with the game, literally. At this age grade if you pass the ball well you are going to have success and that is what the boys are doing. Fun to watch.

The u16s had a grind out game that had them behind at the half but never quit, winning 33 to 17 against a solid foe. Lots of big hits and fast ball movement from start to finish but with two yellow cards mid second half, being short handed galvanized the team. Playing stoic defence and then flipping the switch to front foot once we regained full strength. It was a well-deserved win.

Unfortunately, it was a different tale with the u18s as the very polished CW team rolled an inexperienced side that was missing key players from injury or ineligibility. There are going to be some growing pains with our senior team through the fall season however the point is always to gain experience. If the boys put in the work now, it will payoff in the spring.

To the shores of Colwood that is and score lots of tries, which we did. All three Salish teams put over 50 points on the board and Westshore just couldn’t keep up. All three games were entertaining at the very least and our boys kept it respectable.

Welcome to the new season everyone! Getting the teams rolling at the same time everyone comes back to school is always a heavy lift with the first focus to select the teams for Kamloops. This year all three boy’s divisions were represented with the u14s coming home wearing gold, the u18s with bronze and the u16s getting bounced off the podium to four. Overall, it was a great showing and tournament to participate in.

Isabel Grondin, Brendan’s mom! Thank you to all who participated!

Thank you all who bought a ticket and supported our first (and not last) 50|50 raffle. We will do it again, stay tuned.

Emma’s Grandma, Judith Tatham from Mill Bay winning over $2000!

Thank you all who bought a ticket and supported our first (and not last) 50|50 raffle. We will do it again, stay tuned.

The day looked promising to start, perfect weather for rugby against a foe that both teams were well acquainted with facing them in last year’s final as well.

 Our u14 boys came out flying, moving the ball with ease and scoring first. CW responded quickly though, and it was a well played back and forth first half with big runs from both sides. Unfortunately, the second half we lost the handle on the ball, and it seemed that every time we were on the attack there would be an unforced error aka a knock on. They took advantage of those errors and scored three consecutive tries to widen the margin however the boys kept battling to the end. An island championship was not to be and for the second year in a row it would remain in Oak Bay.

 The u18’s also started the game with their foot on the gas pedal and there were some huge hits on both sides, however one quick error and boom they scored. We quickly responded but missed the kick and they managed two more with conversion, so it was 21 to 5 at the half. The lads dug in, scoring another unconverted try and both teams kept hammering at each other with players going down. In what seemed like a tide turning moment Cohen made a big run inside the 22 meter and was tackled just short of the goal, then making one thrust to score he lost control of the ball. We kept pressing but we just couldn’t punch it over with multiple chances and time ran out. Catch the game here; https://app.veo.co/matches/cw-rugby-20241202-u18boys-vs-salish-4ec9d47c/

 Playing for the bonze medal in their division, the u16 girls were also in play against cross town rivals Cowichan. Lots of scoring through the game but ultimately came up a try short. We do have GoPro referee footage here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3NsGHCcZ9I

 That is it for league play, however both u16 boys and girls are heading to Florida this spring for the tropical 7s as Salish teams. We are working on some fundraising for that tour, which we are hoping to include an on line 50/50 draw. All efforts will be announced through the website so we will be in touch.

 Thank you to all the coaches, managers and volunteers that helped make this season happen. A big acknowledgement to Shawnigan Lake School for their support and the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands we are grateful for the opportunity to play this great sport.

With only the top 4 seeds in each division squaring off in semi final play but all teams getting a match, our u16 boys team headed to Westshore to try and finishing the year with a win. Though we never faced them during the season, they got the default because of the reading break. Today the guys did it, with a strong performance and motivational win that should serve them well come the school league this spring. Congratulations to Lourens for leading the team!

The u16 girls on the other hand were in tough and got spanked for a second time this year against Comox. They will however live to play another game next week against Cowichan at Herd Road for the consolation final.

The u14 and 18 boys received home games as the number 2 seeds respectively in their divisions, both playing host to that other Duncan team, the piggies. Our young guns really took it to the opposition with no points against and a win big. The second game was a different story and though we were never behind on the score board, it was a rough and tumble contest from start to finish. Loads of unforced errors and penalties on both sides that kept everyone watching on edge right to the end. That will need to be cleaned up if we want a positive outcome next weekend at Windsor Park.

Well it was another soggy Sunday, this time at MacDonald Park in James Bay with all four teams finishing off their league play.

First up was the U14 boys that are really looking sharp moving the ball with ease and making their tackles. They cruised to an easy win and finished second seed in the standings, earning a home game next weekend for the semi finals against Cowichan.

Playing on side by side fields both of our U16 teams got to play in the muck, however it was a tougher go. The boys managed to score a try early in the second half to tie the game but lightening would not strike twice for us and the Bays managed a closing score to seal the victory on a tight game. Our girls were also up against a strong opponent and struggled to keep ball in hand with such sloppy conditions. Both teams play for pride in away games next weekend.

Even with the Mount Douglas Rams football players bolstering the JBAA lineup the U18 boys game was a wash out literally and by half time we had players switching positions to try making a game of it. By the third game in a row, the field was a mud pit and the ball was very slick however we moved it well other than the multiple forward passes. Hopefully it dries out a bit for next weekend where we also host the piggies as the second seed.

The strategy was to request a home game this second weekend of the break (which was granted) and reschedule (which proved difficult), so we scraped together anyone available.

Our U16 girls ventured north to Comox facing a tough Rapids team (again Westshore schedule) that are vying for top seed with Cowichan. Not sure what the head count was or how many Salish made the trip, but it was a fruitless result with ten tries to their favour. The U16 boys had to forfeit the game, with only a small group of local kids available.

The Brightside was our U14 boys matched the opponents’ numbers and ran circles around them. Heading into next week and the last league game at MacDonald Park in James Bay, the boys are the number two seed with a one-point differential on CW. The U18 boys also circled the wagons and managed to play a full fifteen a side game against a spirited Westshore team. It was good to get Milo back in action and we managed to double their score, however it will be good to have DJ, Thymen, Rio, George and Greg back for next week’s tilt against the Bays.

Here is some live action from the U18 game; https://youtu.be/IKLFG_AcHCg

In the first of two reading break weekends, we originally had this one off with all four teams however the girls combining with Westshore had them picking up their schedule. They played at Juan de Fuca and clobbered the north island selects whom appear to be struggling without support from the strong Comox side. They are up next week.

This weekend it was the three boy’s teams heading to the Cowichan Piggies home field at Herd Road, on a day that saw rain and wind blowing sideways.

 The U14’s played brilliantly and though it was only a couple try win; we really out played them the whole game, passing the ball and running to space. The U16’s were in tough against a fairly even opponent and traded scoring for the first half until Cowichan’s strength started to dominate. Tough to score if you don’t have the ball and that was the case a lot of the final frame.

 The U18’s got a solid win and looked strong at times but some sloppy play along with dubious calls, kept the piggies in play the whole game. The weather was miserable, so clean ball was rare, and I lost count at the times we were poised to score without finishing.  We will take it though and hope things dry up a bit. The girls had a bye weekend.

Opposite the first two weekends of play, this weekend was a deluge and appeared to be in our favour with the unplayable fields in Victoria shifting the games to Shawnigan Lake. Unfortunately the opponent across the board on the boy’s side was Castaway Wanderers, top of the league in all three divisions.

 Though the u14’s only lost by one point in a very close match, they missed scoring about four tries and should have won the game. The u16’s were handed their third defeat and it is not for the lack of trying, we are just missing some horsepower in the forwards, which has us chasing the ball most of the time. The u18’s knew they would be in tough going up against a rep player laden team. The three try difference didn’t reflect the game that was a ground and pound fight most of the time but their backs were fire, so the ball was out and gone.

 Hanging our winning hopes on the girls wasn’t to be, as the very experienced Cowichan team scored four tries to one at their home field in north Duncan. Delivering the proverbial goose egg for the club for the weekend.

Another beautiful day and triple header host duties, this time the three JBAA Bears came to huff and puff but only one house got knocked over. In similar fashion to last weekend our U14 and 18 boys had an easy go on the day, running up a big score in the first half and then moving players around in the second to try a new position. Lot’s of rotation on/off the field and most importantly there was no disrespect to the other teams.

The U16 boys on the other hand came up against a team that were a seasoned unit that have been playing together for a while and seemed to endlessly be on their front foot attacking. They were stronger, faster and seemed to have the ball the majority of the time. We did manage to prevent a shutout but it was a tough day, loosing one of pour top players on the first kick off.

The U16 girls playing as the Salish/Shores pulled out a big win 68 to 29 against Castaway Wanderers (CW) at home in Colwood.

Coming up this weekend is the Thanksgiving break then we are at Windsor Park in Oak Bay the following Sunday with all three boys teams. The girls will be playing at Herd Road in the North Cowichan, so it is close for the local families. I’ll be returning from Guatemala that day, so good luck to all!

On a glorious sunny day at Shawnigan, all three boys teams hosted the Comox Rapids to kick off the season. Though no pictures were taken for proof, we finished the day two games to one. The u14 game stayed quite close for most of the first half with some big runners wearing Comox purple. Our boys however, really threw the ball around with a couple scores to end the half and then a blow out second. The team looked dominate with multiple phases with the ball and line breaks to score, ripping the game wide open.

The u16’s had a much tougher go with some solid running and tackling from the Rapids. The game went right down to the wire however we were defeated by a point.

Our u18’s on the other hand cruised to a lopsided win that appeared evident from the first kickoff. By half time players were being switched around and a few of our guys helping bolster their team. Unfortunately Cohen Huisamen received an injury to his hand that may sideline him for a bit.

Last was our u16 girls team travelled to Westshore with both teams short on numbers so they played sevens and have ultimately decided to combine for the season so they can participate in full fifteen play. So I will keep you posted on how that evolves along.

For the second year in a row our under 14 boys kicked off the year at the Kamloops’s Sevens, this time accompanied by the U16 girls in the Competitive division and the U18 boys participating in the Elite. Day one saw all three teams go undefeated with the 14’s scoring 127 points to 14 with two shutouts. The 16 girls also broke a hundred going 101 to 15 against and the 18 boys scored 106 to 26. A good day for the club. The sun was shining, and everyone felt good.

Day two proved to be tougher, facing top teams in the other pools on a wet overcast day. The girls went up against a polished JBAA team that went on to be crowned champs, losing 41/7 and then faced last year’s champions Abbotsford in the bronze medal game, coming up short 22/14. The U14 won their semi final game in a close one against St. Albert 22/19 but came up short against Langley 26/12 to win a Silver medal. The U18 boys also won their semi final in a tough 15/10 hard hitting game against Abbotsford however Langley was prepared to spoil the party for both boys’ teams and literally sprinted to a 36/15 win for the championship. They came at us flying and the ball just didn’t bounce our way.

In all it was a great experience for the players and there is no better way to kick off the season then with a road trip for team building. This looks to be an annual event, so let’s do it again next year. More pictures to come.

Salish Sea Warriors RFC